Lanthanum aluminum oxynitride dielectric films

ABSTRACT

Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus include a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film on a substrate for use in a variety of electronic systems. The lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be structured as one or more monolayers. The lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed by atomic layer deposition.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates generally to semiconductor devices and devicefabrication, and more particularly, to dielectric layers and theirmethod of fabrication.

BACKGROUND

The semiconductor device industry has a market driven need to reduce thesize of devices used in products such as processor chips, mobiletelephones, and memory devices such as dynamic random access memories(DRAMs). Currently, the semiconductor industry relies on the ability toreduce or scale the dimensions of its basic devices. This device scalingincludes scaling dielectric layers in devices such as, for example,capacitors and silicon based metal oxide semiconductor field effecttransistors (MOSFETs) and variations thereof, which have primarily beenfabricated using silicon dioxide. A thermally grown amorphous SiO₂ layerprovides an electrically and thermodynamically stable material, wherethe interface of the SiO₂ layer with underlying silicon provides a highquality interface as well as superior electrical isolation properties.However, increased scaling and other requirements in microelectronicdevices have created the need to use other materials as dielectricregions in a variety of electronic structures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates features for an embodiment of a method to form alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a transistor having a dielectric layercontaining a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a floating gate transistor having adielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a capacitor having a dielectric layercontaining a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a dielectric layer having multiplelayers including a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer.

FIG. 6 is a simplified diagram for an embodiment of a controller coupledto an electronic device having a dielectric layer containing a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram for an embodiment of an electronic systemhaving devices with a dielectric film containing a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawingsthat show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments inwhich the present invention may be practiced. These embodiments aredescribed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized andstructural, logical, and electrical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. The variousembodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodimentscan be combined with one or more other embodiments to form newembodiments.

The terms wafer and substrate used in the following description includeany structure having an exposed surface with which to form an integratedcircuit (IC) structure. The term substrate is understood to includesemiconductor wafers. The term substrate is also used to refer tosemiconductor structures during processing, and may include other layersthat have been fabricated thereupon. Both wafer and substrate includedoped and undoped semiconductors, epitaxial semiconductor layerssupported by a base semiconductor or insulator, as well as othersemiconductor structures well known to one skilled in the art. The termconductor is understood to generally include n-type and p-typesemiconductors and the term insulator or dielectric is defined toinclude any material that is less electrically conductive than thematerials referred to as conductors or as semiconductors. The followingdetailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense,and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appendedclaims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claimsare entitled.

To scale a dielectric region to minimize feature sizes to provide highdensity electronic devices, the dielectric region should have a reducedequivalent oxide thickness (t_(eq)). The equivalent oxide thicknessquantifies the electrical properties, such as capacitance, of thedielectric in terms of a representative physical thickness. t_(eq) isdefined as the thickness of a theoretical SiO₂ layer that would berequired to have the same capacitance density as a given dielectric,ignoring leakage current and reliability considerations.

A SiO₂ layer of thickness, t, deposited on a Si surface will have at_(eq) larger than its thickness, t. This t_(eq) results from thecapacitance in the surface on which the SiO₂ is deposited due to theformation of a depletion/inversion region. This depletion/inversionregion can result in t_(eq) being from 3 to 6 Angstroms (Å) larger thanthe SiO₂ thickness, t. Thus, with the semiconductor industry driving tosomeday scale a gate dielectric equivalent oxide thickness to less than10 Å, the physical thickness requirement for a SiO₂ layer used for agate dielectric may need to be approximately 4 to 7 Å. Additionalrequirements on a SiO₂ layer would depend on the electrode used inconjunction with the SiO₂ dielectric. Using a conventional polysiliconelectrode may result in an additional increase in t_(eq) for the SiO₂layer. This additional thickness may be eliminated by using a metalelectrode, though such metal electrodes are not universally used for alldevices. Thus, future devices would be designed towards a physical SiO₂dielectric layer of about 5 Å or less. Such a small thicknessrequirement for a SiO₂ oxide layer creates additional problems.

Silicon dioxide is used as a dielectric layer in devices, in part, dueto its electrical isolation properties in a SiO₂—Si based structure.This electrical isolation is due to the relatively large band gap ofSiO₂ (8.9 eV), making it a good insulator from electrical conduction.Significant reductions in its band gap may eliminate it as a materialfor a dielectric region in an electronic device. As the thickness of aSiO₂ layer decreases, the number of atomic layers, or monolayers of thematerial decreases. At a certain thickness, the number of monolayerswill be sufficiently small that the SiO₂ layer will not have a completearrangement of atoms as in a larger or bulk layer. As a result ofincomplete formation relative to a bulk structure, a thin SiO₂ layer ofonly one or two monolayers will not form a full band gap. The lack of afull band gap in a SiO₂ dielectric may cause an effective short betweenan underlying Si electrode and an overlying polysilicon electrode. Thisundesirable property sets a limit on the physical thickness to which aSiO₂ layer can be scaled. The minimum thickness due to this monolayereffect is thought to be about 7-8 Å. Therefore, for future devices tohave a t_(eq) less than about 10 Å, other dielectrics than SiO₂ need tobe considered for use as a dielectric region in such future devices.

In many cases, for a typical dielectric layer, the capacitance isdetermined as one for a parallel plate capacitance: C=κε₀A/t, where κ isthe dielectric constant, ε₀ is the permittivity of free space, A is thearea of the capacitor, and t is the thickness of the dielectric. Thethickness, t, of a material is related to its t_(eq) for a givencapacitance, with SiO₂ having a dielectric constant κ_(ox)=3.9, ast=(κ/κ_(ox))t _(eq)=(κ/3.9)t _(eq).Thus, materials with a dielectric constant greater than that of SiO₂,3.9, will have a physical thickness that can be considerably larger thana desired t_(eq), while providing the desired equivalent oxidethickness. For example, an alternate dielectric material with adielectric constant of 10 could have a thickness of about 25.6 Å toprovide a t_(eq) of 10 Å, not including any depletion/inversion layereffects. Thus, a reduced equivalent oxide thickness for transistors canbe realized by using dielectric materials with higher dielectricconstants than SiO₂.

The thinner equivalent oxide thickness required for lower deviceoperating voltages and smaller device dimensions may be realized by asignificant number of materials, but additional fabricating requirementsmake determining a suitable replacement for SiO₂ difficult. The currentview for the microelectronics industry is still for Si based devices.This may require that the dielectric material employed be grown on asilicon substrate or a silicon layer, which places significantconstraints on the substitute dielectric material. During the formationof the dielectric on the silicon layer, there exists the possibilitythat a small layer of SiO₂ could be formed in addition to the desireddielectric. The result would effectively be a dielectric layerconsisting of two sublayers in parallel with each other and the siliconlayer on which the dielectric is formed. In such a case, the resultingcapacitance would be that of two dielectrics in series. As a result, thet_(eq) of the dielectric layer would be the sum of the SiO₂ thicknessand a multiplicative factor of the thickness, t, of the dielectric beingformed, written ast _(eq) =t _(SiO2)+(κ_(ox)/κ)t.Thus, if a SiO₂ layer is formed in the process, the t_(eq) is againlimited by a SiO₂ layer. In the event that a barrier layer is formedbetween the silicon layer and the desired dielectric in which thebarrier layer prevents the formation of a SiO₂ layer, the t_(eq) wouldbe limited by the layer with the lowest dielectric constant. However,whether a single dielectric layer with a high dielectric constant or abarrier layer with a higher dielectric constant than SiO₂ is employed,the layer interfacing with the silicon layer should provide a highquality interface.

One of the advantages of using SiO₂ as a dielectric layer in a devicehas been that the formation of the SiO₂ layer results in an amorphousdielectric. Having an amorphous structure for a dielectric provides forreducing problems of leakage current associated with grain boundaries inpolycrystalline dielectrics that provide high leakage paths.Additionally, grain size and orientation changes throughout apolycrystalline dielectric can cause variations in the film's dielectricconstant, along with uniformity and surface topography problems.Typically, materials having a high dielectric constant relative to SiO₂also have a crystalline form, at least in a bulk configuration. The bestcandidates for replacing SiO₂ as a dielectric in a device are those thatcan be fabricated as a thin layer with an amorphous form and that havehigh dielectric constants.

Another consideration for selecting the material and method for forminga dielectric film for use in electronic devices and systems concerns theroughness of a dielectric film on a substrate. Surface roughness of thedielectric film has a significant effect on the electrical properties ofthe gate oxide, and the resulting operating characteristics of thetransistor. The leakage current through a physical 1.0 nm gate oxideincreases by a factor of 10 for every 0.1 increase in theroot-mean-square (RMS) roughness.

During a conventional sputtering deposition process stage, particles ofthe material to be deposited bombard the surface at a high energy. Whena particle hits the surface, some particles adhere, and other particlescause damage. High energy impacts remove body region particles, creatingpits. The surface of such a deposited layer can have a rough contour dueto the rough interface at the body region.

In an embodiment, a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride dielectric film havinga substantially smooth surface relative to other processing techniquesis formed using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Further, forming such adielectric film using atomic layer deposition can provide forcontrolling transitions between material layers. As a result of suchcontrol, atomic layer deposited lanthanum aluminum oxynitride dielectricfilms can have an engineered transition with a substrate surface.

ALD, also known as atomic layer epitaxy (ALE), is a modification ofchemical vapor deposition (CVD) and is also called “alternativelypulsed-CVD.” In ALD, gaseous precursors are introduced one at a time tothe substrate surface mounted within a reaction chamber (or reactor).This introduction of the gaseous precursors takes the form of pulses ofeach gaseous precursor. In a pulse of a precursor gas, the precursor gasis made to flow into a specific area or region for a short period oftime. Between the pulses, the reaction chamber may be purged with a gas,where the purging gas may be an inert gas. Between the pulses, thereaction chamber may be evacuated. Between the pulses, the reactionchamber may be purged with a gas and evacuated.

In a chemisorption-saturated ALD (CS-ALD) process, during the firstpulsing phase, reaction with the substrate occurs with the precursorsaturatively chemisorbed at the substrate surface. Subsequent pulsingwith a purging gas removes precursor excess from the reaction chamber.

The second pulsing phase introduces another precursor on the substratewhere the growth reaction of the desired film takes place. Subsequent tothe film growth reaction, reaction byproducts and precursor excess arepurged from the reaction chamber. With favourable precursor chemistrywhere the precursors adsorb and react with each other aggressively onthe substrate, one ALD cycle can be performed in less than one second inproperly designed flow type reaction chambers. Typically, precursorpulse times range from about 0.5 sec to about 2 to 3 seconds. Pulsetimes for purging gases may be significantly larger, for example, pulsetimes of about 5 to about 30 seconds.

In ALD, the saturation of all the reaction and purging phases makes thegrowth self-limiting. This self-limiting growth results in large areauniformity and conformality, which has important applications for suchcases as planar substrates, deep trenches, and in the processing ofporous silicon and high surface area silica and alumina powders.Significantly, ALD provides for controlling film thickness in astraightforward manner by controlling the number of growth cycles.

The precursors used in an ALD process may be gaseous, liquid or solid.However, liquid or solid precursors should be volatile. The vaporpressure should be high enough for effective mass transportation. Also,solid and some liquid precursors may need to be heated inside thereaction chamber and introduced through heated tubes to the substrates.The necessary vapor pressure should be reached at a temperature belowthe substrate temperature to avoid the condensation of the precursors onthe substrate. Due to the self-limiting growth mechanisms of ALD,relatively low vapor pressure solid precursors can be used, thoughevaporation rates may vary somewhat during the process because ofchanges in their surface area.

There are several other characteristics for precursors used in ALD. Theprecursors should be thermally stable at the substrate temperature,because their decomposition may destroy the surface control andaccordingly the advantages of the ALD method that relies on the reactionof the precursor at the substrate surface. A slight decomposition, ifslow compared to the ALD growth, may be tolerated.

The precursors should chemisorb on or react with the surface, though theinteraction between the precursor and the surface as well as themechanism for the adsorption is different for different precursors. Themolecules at the substrate surface should react aggressively with thesecond precursor to form the desired solid film. Additionally,precursors should not react with the film to cause etching, andprecursors should not dissolve in the film. Using highly reactiveprecursors in ALD contrasts with the selection of precursors forconventional CVD.

The by-products in the reaction should be gaseous in order to allowtheir easy removal from the reaction chamber. Further, the by-productsshould not react or adsorb on the surface.

In a reaction sequence ALD (RS-ALD) process, the self-limiting processsequence involves sequential surface chemical reactions. RS-ALD relieson chemistry between a reactive surface and a reactive molecularprecursor. In an RS-ALD process, molecular precursors are pulsed intothe ALD reaction chamber separately. A metal precursor reaction at thesubstrate is typically followed by an inert gas pulse to remove excessprecursor and by-products from the reaction chamber prior to pulsing thenext precursor of the fabrication sequence.

By RS-ALD, films can be layered in equal metered sequences that may allbe identical in chemical kinetics, deposition per cycle, composition,and thickness. RS-ALD sequences generally deposit less than a full layerper cycle. Typically, a deposition or growth rate of about 0.25 to about2.00 Å per RS-ALD cycle may be realized.

Processing by RS-ALD provides continuity at an interface avoiding poorlydefined nucleating regions that are typical for chemical vapordeposition (<20 Å) and physical vapor deposition (<50 Å), conformalityover a variety of substrate topologies due to its layer-by-layerdeposition technique, use of low temperature and mildly oxidizingprocesses, lack of dependence on the reaction chamber, growth thicknessdependent solely on the number of cycles performed, and ability toengineer multilayer laminate films with a resolution of one to twomonolayers. RS-ALD processes allow for deposition control on the orderof monolayers and the ability to deposit monolayers of amorphous films.

Herein, a sequence refers to the ALD material formation based on an ALDreaction of a precursor with its reactant precursor. For example,forming aluminum oxide from an Al(CH₃)₃ precursor and water vapor, asits reactant precursor, forms an embodiment of an aluminum/oxygensequence, which can also be referred to as an aluminum sequence. Invarious ALD processes that form an oxide or a compound that containsoxygen, a reactant precursor that contains oxygen is used to supplyoxygen. Herein, a precursor that contains oxygen and that suppliesoxygen to be incorporated in the ALD compound formed, which may be usedin an ALD process with precursors supplying the other elements in theALD compound, is referred to as an oxygen reactant precursor. In theabove example, water vapor is an oxygen reactant precursor. A cycle of asequence may include pulsing a precursor, pulsing a purging gas for theprecursor, pulsing a reactant precursor, and pulsing the reactantprecursor's purging gas. Further, in forming a layer of a metal species,an ALD sequence may deal with reacting a precursor containing the metalspecies with a substrate surface. A cycle for such a metal formingsequence may include pulsing a purging gas after pulsing the precursorcontaining the metal species to deposit the metal. Additionally,deposition of a semiconductor material may be realized in a mannersimilar to forming a layer of a metal, given the appropriate precursorsfor the semiconductor material.

In an ALD formation of a compound having more than two elements, a cyclemay include a number of sequences to provide the elements of thecompound. For example, a cycle for an ALD formation of an ABO_(x)compound may include sequentially pulsing a first precursor/a purginggas for the first precursor/a first reactant precursor/the firstreactant precursor's purging gas/a second precursor/a purging gas forthe second precursor/a second reactant precursor/the second reactantprecursor's purging gas, which may be viewed as a cycle having twosequences. In an embodiment, a cycle may include a number of sequencesfor element A and a different number of sequences for element B. Theremay be cases in which ALD formation of an ABO_(x) compound uses oneprecursor that contains the elements A and B, such that pulsing the ABcontaining precursor followed by its reactant precursor onto a substratemay include a reaction that deposits ABO_(x) on the substrate to providean AB/oxygen sequence. A cycle of an AB/oxygen sequence may includepulsing a precursor containing A and B, pulsing a purging gas for theprecursor, pulsing a reactant precursor to the A/B precursor, andpulsing a purging gas for the reactant precursor. A cycle may berepeated a number of times to provide a desired thickness of thecompound. In an embodiment, a layer of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride isformed on a substrate mounted in a reaction chamber using ALD inrepetitive lanthanum, aluminum, and nitrogen sequences using precursorgases individually pulsed into the reaction chamber. Alternatively,solid or liquid precursors can be used in an appropriately designedreaction chamber.

In an embodiment, a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer may bestructured as one or more monolayers. A film of lanthanum aluminumoxynitride, structured as one or more monolayers, may have a thicknessthat ranges from a monolayer to thousands of angstroms. The film may beprocessed by atomic layer deposition. Embodiments of an atomic layerdeposited lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer have a larger dielectricconstant than silicon dioxide. Such dielectric layers provide asignificantly thinner equivalent oxide thickness compared with a siliconoxide layer having the same physical thickness. Alternatively, suchdielectric layers provide a significantly thicker physical thicknessthan a silicon oxide layer having the same equivalent oxide thickness.This increased physical thickness aids in reducing leakage current.

The term lanthanum aluminum oxynitride is used herein with respect to acompound that essentially consists of lanthanum, aluminum, oxygen, andnitrogen in a form that may be stoichiometric, non-stoichiometric, or acombination of stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric. In an embodiment,the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride may be formed substantially asstoichiometric lanthanum aluminum oxynitride. In an embodiment, thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride may be formed substantially as anon-stoichiometric lanthanum aluminum oxynitride or a combination ofnon-stoichiometric lanthanum aluminum oxynitride and stoichiometriclanthanum aluminum oxynitride. Herein, lanthanum aluminum oxynitride maybe expressed as LaAlON. The expression LaAlON or its equivalent formsmay be used to include a stoichiometric lanthanum aluminum oxynitride.The expression LaAlON or its equivalent forms may be used to include anon-stoichiometric lanthanum aluminum oxynitride. The expression LaAlONor its equivalent forms may be used to include a combination of astoichiometric lanthanum aluminum oxynitride and a non-stoichiometriclanthanum aluminum oxynitride. In an embodiment, a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film includes LaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y). In an embodiment, alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film includes LaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where0.2<y<0.6. The expression LaO_(x) may be used to include astoichiometric lanthanum oxide. The expression LaO_(x) may be used toinclude a non-stoichiometric lanthanum oxide. The expression LaO_(x) maybe used to include a combination of a stoichiometric lanthanum oxide anda non-stoichiometric lanthanum oxide. Expressions AlO_(y) and NO_(z) maybe used in the same manner as LaO_(x). In various embodiments, alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be doped with elements orcompounds other than lanthanum, aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen.

In an embodiment, a LaAlON film may be structured as one or moremonolayers. In an embodiment, the LaAlON film may be constructed byatomic layer deposition. Prior to forming the LaAlON film by ALD, thesurface on which the LaAlON film is to be deposited may undergo apreparation stage. The surface may be the surface of a substrate for anintegrated circuit. In an embodiment, the substrate used for forming atransistor includes a silicon or silicon containing material. In otherembodiments, germanium, gallium arsenide, silicon-on-sapphiresubstrates, or other suitable substrates may be used. A preparationprocess may include cleaning the substrate and forming layers andregions of the substrate, such as drains and sources prior to forming agate dielectric in the formation of a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS)transistor. Alternatively, active regions may be formed after formingthe dielectric layer, depending on the over-all fabrication processimplemented. In an embodiment, the substrate is cleaned to provide aninitial substrate depleted of its native oxide. In an embodiment, theinitial substrate is cleaned also to provide a hydrogen-terminatedsurface. In an embodiment, a silicon substrate undergoes a finalhydrofluoric (HF) rinse prior to ALD processing to provide the siliconsubstrate with a hydrogen-terminated surface without a native siliconoxide layer.

Cleaning immediately preceding atomic layer deposition aids in reducingan occurrence of silicon oxide as an interface between a silicon basedsubstrate and a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride dielectric formed usingthe atomic layer deposition process. The material composition of aninterface layer and its properties are typically dependent on processconditions and the condition of the substrate before forming thedielectric layer. Though the existence of an interface layer mayeffectively reduce the dielectric constant associated with thedielectric layer and its substrate interface layer, a SiO₂ interfacelayer, or other composition interface layer, may improve the interfacedensity, fixed charge density, and channel mobility of a device havingthis interface layer.

The sequencing of the formation of the regions of an electronic device,such as a transistor, being processed may follow typical sequencing thatis generally performed in the fabrication of such devices as is wellknown to those skilled in the art. Included in the processing prior toforming a dielectric may be the masking of substrate regions to beprotected during the dielectric formation, as is typically performed insemiconductor fabrication. In an embodiment, the unmasked regionincludes a body region of a transistor; however, one skilled in the artwill recognize that other semiconductor device structures may utilizethis process.

FIG. 1 illustrates features of an embodiment of a method to form alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition. Theindividual features labeled 110, 120, 130, and 140 may be performed invarious orders. Between each pulsing of a precursor used in the atomiclayer deposition process, a purging gas may be pulsed into the ALDreaction chamber. Between each pulsing of a precursor, the ALD reactorchamber may be evacuated using vacuum techniques as is known by thoseskilled in the art. Between each pulsing of a precursor, a purging gasmay be pulsed into the ALD reaction chamber and the ALD reactor chambermay be evacuated.

At 110, a lanthanum-containing precursor is pulsed onto a substrate inan ALD reaction chamber. A number of precursors containing lanthanum maybe used to deposit lanthanum on a substrate for an integrated circuit.In an embodiment, the lanthanum-containing precursor may be La(thd)₃(thd=2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedione). In an embodiment using aLa(thd)₃ precursor, the substrate may be maintained at a temperatureranging from 180° C. to about 425° C. In an embodiment, thelanthanum-containing precursor may be tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)lanthanum (III) tetraglymeadduct. In an embodiment, the lanthanum-containing precursor may betrisethylcyclopentadionatolanthanum (La(EtCp)₃). In an embodiment usinga La(EtCp)₃ precursor, the substrate temperature may be maintained attemperature ranging from about 400° C. to about 650° C. In anembodiment, the lanthanum-containing precursor may betrisdipyvaloylmethanatolanthanum (La(DPM)₃). In an embodiment, H₂ may bepulsed along with the La(EtCp)₃ precursor or the La(DPM)₃ precursor toreduce carbon contamination in the deposited film. After pulsing thelanthanum-containing precursor and purging the reaction chamber ofexcess precursor and by-products from pulsing the precursor, a reactantprecursor may be pulsed into the reaction chamber. The reactantprecursor may be an oxygen reactant precursor. In various embodiments,use of the individual lanthanum-containing precursors is not limited tothe temperature ranges of the above embodiments. In addition, thepulsing of the lanthanum precursor may use a pulsing period thatprovides uniform coverage of a monolayer on the surface or may use apulsing period that provides partial formation of a monolayer on thesurface during a lanthanum sequence.

At 120, an aluminum-containing precursor is pulsed to the substrate. Anumber of precursors containing aluminum may be used to deposit thealuminum on the substrate. In an embodiment, the aluminum-containingprecursor may be trimethylaluminum (TMA), Al(CH₃)₃. In an embodiment,the aluminum-containing precursor may be DMEAA (an adduct of alane(AlH₃) and dimethylethylamine [N(CH₃)₂(C₂H₅)]). In an embodiment using aDMEAA precursor, a hydrogen plasma may be introduced after pulsing theDMEAA precursor in a plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition process. Invarious embodiments, a LaAlON layer may be deposited on a substrateusing plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition. During pulsing of thealuminum containing precursor, the substrate may be held between about350° C. and about 450° C. After pulsing the aluminum-containingprecursor and purging the reaction chamber of excess precursor andby-products from pulsing the precursor, a reactant precursor may bepulsed into the reaction chamber. The reactant precursor may be anoxygen reactant precursor. In various embodiments, use of the individualaluminum-containing precursors is not limited to the temperature rangesof the above embodiments. In addition, the pulsing of the aluminumprecursor may use a pulsing period that provides uniform coverage of amonolayer on the surface or may use a pulsing period that providespartial formation of a monolayer on the surface during an aluminumsequence.

At 130, an oxygen-containing precursor is pulsed to the substrate. Theoxygen-containing precursor may be pulsed after a purge of the reactionchamber following each of the precursors providing lanthanum, aluminum,and nitrogen for the formation of a layer of LaAlON. Variousoxygen-containing precursors may be used as oxygen reactant precursorsfor each of a lanthanum sequence, an aluminum sequence, and a nitrogensequence. In various embodiments, oxygen-containing precursors for theALD formation of a LaAlON film may include, but is not limited to, oneor more of water, atomic oxygen, molecular oxygen, ozone, hydrogenperoxide, a water-hydrogen peroxide mixture, alcohol, or nitrous oxide.

At 140, a nitrogen-containing precursor is pulsed to the substrate. Anumber of precursors containing nitrogen may be used to deposit thenitrogen on the substrate. In an embodiment, the nitrogen-containingprecursor may be nitrogen. In an embodiment, the nitrogen-containingprecursor may be ammonia (NH₃). In an embodiment, thenitrogen-containing precursor may be tert-butylamine (C₄H₁₁N). In anembodiment, the nitrogen-containing precursor may be allylamine (C₃H₇N).In an embodiment, the nitrogen-containing precursor may be1,1-dimethylhydrazine ((CH₃)₂NNH₂). Nitrogen-containing precursors maybe used with oxygen-containing precursors in nitrogen ALD sequences. Inan embodiment, a nitrogen-containing precursor may be used in a nitrogensequence without a corresponding oxygen reactant precursor. In anembodiment, nitrogen may be pulsed into the ALD reaction chamber, as anitrogen ALD sequence, to provide the nitrogen for the formation of anLaAlON film.

Embodiments for methods for forming lanthanum aluminum oxynitride filmby atomic layer deposition may include numerous permutations oflanthanum sequences, aluminum sequences, and nitrogen sequences forforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. In an embodiment, analuminum sequence is conducted before a lanthanum sequence. In anembodiment, a lanthanum sequence is conducted before an aluminumsequence. In an embodiment, a lanthanum/aluminum/nitrogen cycle mayinclude a number, x, of lanthanum sequences, a number, y, of aluminumsequences, and a number, z, of nitrogen sequences. The number ofsequences x, y, and z may be selected to engineer the relative amountsof aluminum to lanthanum. In an embodiment, the number of sequences xand y, along with associated pulsing periods and times, is selected toform a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride with substantially equal amounts oflanthanum and aluminum. In an embodiment, the number of sequences isselected with x=y. In an embodiment, the number of sequences x and y areselected to form a lanthanum-rich lanthanum aluminum oxynitride.Alternatively, the number of sequences x and y are selected to form analuminum-rich lanthanum aluminum oxynitride. In an embodiment, thenumber of sequences x, y, and z may be selected to engineer the relativeamounts of nitrogen to oxygen. In an embodiment, the number of sequencesx, y, and z may be selected to engineer the relative amounts of nitrogento oxygen to form LaAlO_(3(1-j/2))N_(j). In an embodiment, the number ofsequences x, y, and z may be selected to engineer the relative amountsof nitrogen to oxygen to form a LaAlO_(3(1-j/2))N_(j) film, where j isselected to provide a nitrogen content such as to provide a maximumdielectric constant for a LaAlON film. In an embodiment, the number ofsequences and the order of performing the sequences may be selected inan ALD cycle for LaAlON to provide a LaAlO_(3(1-j/2))N_(j) film, where0.2<j<0.6. In an embodiment, the nitrogen content may be adjusted toprovide a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film having a dielectricconstant greater than 30. The nitrogen content may be adjusted toprovide a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film having a dielectricconstant between 33 and 34.

In an embodiment of a method that includes forming a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film, an atomic layer deposition sequence may include formingan atomic layer of lanthanum oxide followed by forming an atomic layerof aluminum oxide followed by a nitrogen sequence. In an embodiment of amethod that includes forming a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film, anatomic layer deposition sequence may include forming an atomic layer ofaluminum oxide followed by forming an atomic layer of lanthanum oxidefollowed by a nitrogen sequence. In an embodiment, the nitrogen sequencemay be applied between forming an atomic layer of lanthanum oxide andforming an atomic layer of aluminum oxide.

In various embodiments, nitrogen may be used as a purging gas and acarrier gas for one or more of the sequences used in the ALD formationof a LaAlON film. Alternatively, hydrogen, argon gas, or other inertgases may be used as the purging gas. Excess precursor gas and reactionby-products may be removed by the purge gas. Excess precursor gas andreaction by-products may be removed by evacuation of the reactionchamber using various vacuum techniques. Excess precursor gas andreaction by-products may be removed by the purge gas and by evacuationof the reaction chamber.

After repeating a selected number of ALD cycles, a determination may bemade as to whether the number of lanthanum aluminum cycles equals apredetermined number to form the desired lanthanum aluminum oxynitridelayer. If the total number of cycles to form the desired thickness hasnot been completed, a number of cycles for the lanthanum, aluminum, andnitrogen sequences is repeated. If the total number of cycles to formthe desired thickness has been completed, the dielectric film containingthe lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer may optionally be annealed. Thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer processed at these relatively lowtemperatures may provide an amorphous layer.

The thickness of a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer formed by atomiclayer deposition may be determined by a fixed growth rate for thepulsing periods and precursors used, set at a value such as N nm/cycle,dependent upon the number of cycles of the lanthanum/aluminum/nitrogensequences. For a desired lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer thickness,t, in an application, the ALD process is repeated for t/N total cycles.Once the t/N cycles have completed, no further ALD processing for thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer is required.

In an embodiment, a modified cycle may include a number oflanthanum/aluminum cycles followed by exposure to nitrogen. The exposureto nitrogen may be realized in various manners such as annealing in anitrogen atmosphere. The number of lanthanum/aluminum cycles may beselected to provide a thickness of material containing lanthanum,aluminum, and oxygen such that exposure to nitrogen for a selectedperiod of time forms a base layer of LaAlON having a desired nitrogencontent. The modified cycle may be repeated until the desired thicknessfor a LaAlON layer to be used in the device being fabrication isattained. In addition, the completed LaAlON layer may have a selectednitrogen content.

Atomic layer deposition of the individual components of the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film allows for individual control of each precursorpulsed into the reaction chamber. Thus, each precursor is pulsed intothe reaction chamber for a predetermined period, where the predeterminedperiod can be set separately for each precursor. Additionally, forvarious embodiments for ALD formation of a LaAlON film, each precursormay be pulsed into the reaction under separate environmental conditions.The substrate may be maintained at a selected temperature and thereaction chamber maintained at a selected pressure independently forpulsing each precursor. Appropriate temperatures and pressures may bemaintained, whether the precursor is a single precursor or a mixture ofprecursors.

Films of LaAlON may be processed over a wide range of temperatures. Lowtemperature processing may lead to an amorphous structure and have feweradverse effects on the substrate and any devices formed prior to the ALDformation of the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. In an embodiment, afilm of LaAlON is formed on a substrate with the substrate maintained ata temperature in the range from about 100° C. to about 600° C. Thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed as an integralcomponent of an electronic device in an integrated circuit.

Either before or after forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film,other dielectric layers such as nitride layers, dielectric metalsilicates, insulating metal oxides including Al₂O₃, La₂O₃, and otherlanthanide oxides such as Pr₂O₃, Nd₂O₃, Sm₂O₃, Gd₂O₃, Dy₂O₃, Ce₂O₃,Tb₂O₃, Er₂O ₃, Eu₂O₃, Lu₂O₃, Tm₂O₃, Ho₂O₃, Pm₂O₃, and Yb₂O₃ orcombinations thereof may be formed as part of a dielectric layer ordielectric stack. These one or more other layers of dielectric materialmay be provided in stoichiometric form, in non-stoichiometric form, or acombination of stoichiometric dielectric material and non-stoichiometricdielectric material. Depending on the application, a dielectric stackcontaining a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may include a siliconoxide layer. In an embodiment, the dielectric layer may be formed as ananolaminate. An embodiment of a nanolaminate may include a layer oflanthanum oxide and a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film, a layer ofaluminum oxide and a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film, layers oflanthanum oxide and aluminum oxide along with a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film, or various other combinations. Alternatively, adielectric layer may be formed substantially as the lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film.

In various embodiments, the structure of an interface between adielectric layer and a substrate on which it is disposed is controlledto limit the inclusion of silicon oxide, since a silicon oxide layerwould reduce the effective dielectric constant of the dielectric layer.The material composition and properties for an interface layer may bedependent on process conditions and the condition of the substratebefore forming the dielectric layer. Though the existence of aninterface layer may effectively reduce the dielectric constantassociated with the dielectric layer and its substrate, the interfacelayer, such as a silicon oxide interface layer or other compositioninterface layer, may improve the interface density, fixed chargedensity, and channel mobility of a device having this interface layer.

In the various embodiments, the thickness of a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film is related to the number of ALD cycles performed and thegrowth rate associated with the selected permutations of sequences inthe cycles. As can be understood by those skilled in the art, particulareffective growth rates for the engineered lanthanum aluminum oxynitridefilm can be determined during normal initial testing of the ALD systemfor processing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride dielectric for a givenapplication without undue experimentation.

In an embodiment, the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer may be dopedwith other lanthanides such as Pr, N, Sm, Gd, Dy, Ce, Tb, Er, Eu, Lu,Tm, Ho, Pm, and Yb. The doping may be employed to enhance the leakagecurrent characteristics of the dielectric layer containing the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride by providing a disruption or perturbation of thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride structure. Such doping may be realized bysubstituting a sequence of one of these lanthanides for a lanthanumsequence or an aluminum sequence. The choice for substitution may dependon the form of the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride structure with respectto the ratio of lanthanum atoms to aluminum desired in the oxide. Tomaintain a substantially lanthanum aluminum oxynitride, the amount ofalternate lanthanides doped into the oxide may be limited to arelatively small fraction of the total number of lanthanum and aluminumatoms. Such a fraction may be 10 percent or less.

In an embodiment, a dielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride layer may have a t_(eq) ranging from about 5 Å to about 20 Å.In an embodiment, a dielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride layer may have a t_(eq) of less than 5 Å. In an embodiment, alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed with a thicknessranging from a monolayer to thousands of angstroms. Further, dielectricfilms of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride formed by atomic layer depositionmay provide not only thin t_(eq) films, but also films with relativelylow leakage current. Additionally, embodiments may be implemented toform transistors, capacitors, memory devices, and other electronicsystems including information handling devices.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a transistor 200 having a dielectric layer240 containing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. Transistor 200 mayinclude a source region 220 and a drain region 230 in a silicon-basedsubstrate 210 where source and drain regions 220, 230 are separated by abody region 232. Body region 232 defines a channel having a channellength 234. A gate dielectric 240 may be disposed on substrate 210, withgate dielectric 240 formed as a dielectric layer containing lanthanumaluminum oxynitride. Gate dielectric 240 may be realized as a dielectriclayer formed substantially of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride. Gatedielectric 240 may be a dielectric stack containing at least onelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film and one or more layers of insulatingmaterial other than a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. The lanthanumaluminum oxynitride may be structured as one or more monolayers. Anembodiment of a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed byatomic layer deposition. A gate 250 may be formed over and contact gatedielectric 240.

An interfacial layer 233 may form between body region 232 and gatedielectric 240. In an embodiment, interfacial layer 233 may be limitedto a relatively small thickness compared to gate dielectric 240, or to athickness significantly less than gate dielectric 240 as to beeffectively eliminated. Forming the substrate and the source and drainregions may be performed using standard processes known to those skilledin the art. Additionally, the sequencing of the various elements of theprocess for forming a transistor may be conducted with fabricationprocesses known to those skilled in the art. In an embodiment, gatedielectric 240 may be realized as a gate insulator in a silicon CMOS.Use of a gate dielectric containing lanthanum aluminum oxynitride is notlimited to silicon based substrates, but may be used with a variety ofsemiconductor substrates.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a floating gate transistor 300 having adielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. Thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be structured as one or moremonolayers. The lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film may be formed usingatomic layer deposition techniques. Transistor 300 may include asilicon-based substrate 310 with a source 320 and a drain 330 separatedby a body region 332. Body region 332 between source 320 and drain 330defines a channel region having a channel length 334. Located above bodyregion 332 is a stack 355 including a gate dielectric 340, a floatinggate 352, a floating gate dielectric 342, and a control gate 350. Aninterfacial layer 333 may form between body region 332 and gatedielectric 340. In an embodiment, interfacial layer 333 may be limitedto a relatively small thickness compared to gate dielectric 340, or to athickness significantly less than gate dielectric 340 as to beeffectively eliminated.

In an embodiment, gate dielectric 340 includes a dielectric containingan atomic layer deposited lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film formed inembodiments similar to those described herein. Gate dielectric 340 maybe realized as a dielectric layer formed substantially of lanthanumaluminum oxynitride. Gate dielectric 340 may be a dielectric stackcontaining at least one lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film and one ormore layers of insulating material other than a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film. In an embodiment, floating gate 352 may be formed overand contact gate dielectric 340.

In an embodiment, floating gate dielectric 342 includes a dielectriccontaining a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. The LaAlON film may bestructured as one or more monolayers. In an embodiment, the LaAlON maybe formed using atomic layer deposition techniques. Floating gatedielectric 342 may be realized as a dielectric layer formedsubstantially of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride. Floating gate dielectric342 may be a dielectric stack containing at least one lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film and one or more layers of insulating material other thana lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. In an embodiment, control gate 350may be formed over and contact floating gate dielectric 342.

Alternatively, both gate dielectric 340 and floating gate dielectric 342may be formed as dielectric layers containing a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers. Gate dielectric340 and floating gate dielectric 342 may be realized by embodimentssimilar to those described herein, with the remaining elements of thetransistor 300 formed using processes known to those skilled in the art.In an embodiment, gate dielectric 340 forms a tunnel gate insulator andfloating gate dielectric 342 forms an inter-gate insulator in flashmemory devices, where gate dielectric 340 and floating gate dielectric342 may include a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as oneor more monolayers. Such structures are not limited to silicon basedsubstrates, but may be used with a variety of semiconductor substrates.

Embodiments of a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as one ormore monolayers may also be applied to capacitors in various integratedcircuits, memory devices, and electronic systems. In an embodiment for acapacitor 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, a method includes forming a firstconductive layer 410, forming a dielectric layer 420 containing alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as one or more monolayerson first conductive layer 410, and forming a second conductive layer 430on dielectric layer 420. Dielectric layer 420, containing a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film, may be formed using various embodimentsdescribed herein. Dielectric layer 420 may be realized as a dielectriclayer formed substantially of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride. Dielectriclayer 420 may be a dielectric stack containing at least one lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film and one or more layers of insulating materialother than a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. An interfacial layer415 may form between first conductive layer 410 and dielectric layer420. In an embodiment, interfacial layer 415 may be limited to arelatively small thickness compared to dielectric layer 420, or to athickness significantly less than dielectric layer 420 as to beeffectively eliminated.

Embodiments for a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as oneor more monolayers may include, but are not limited to, a capacitor in aDRAM and capacitors in analog, radio frequency (RF), and mixed signalintegrated circuits. Mixed signal integrated circuits are integratedcircuits that may operate with digital and analog signals.

FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a dielectric structure 500 havingmultiple dielectric layers 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N, in which at leastone layer is a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer. Layers 510 and 520may provide means to contact dielectric layers 505-1, 505-2, . . .505-N. Layers 510 and 520 maybe electrodes forming a capacitor. Layer510 may be a body region of a transistor with layer 520 being a gate.Layer 510 may be a floating gate electrode with layer 520 being acontrol gate.

In an embodiment, each layer 505-1, 505-2 to 505-N may be a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride layer. At least one of the layers 505-1, 505-2, . .. 505-N has a nitrogen content that is different from the nitrogencontent of the other layers. In an embodiment, no two of layers 505-1,505-2, . . . 505-N have the same content. Each lanthanum aluminumoxynitride layer 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N may be formed by atomic layerdeposition. The nitrogen content may be varied between the differentlayers 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N by using different ALD cycles in theformation of these layers. In an embodiment, each layer may be formedsubstantially as LaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where the value of y is selectedto be different in each layer 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N. In anembodiment, y is selected to be between 0.2 and 0.6.

In an embodiment, dielectric structure 500 includes one or more layersof 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N as dielectric layers other than a LaAlONlayer, where at least one layer is a LaAlON layer. Dielectric layers505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N may include a LaO_(x) layer. Dielectric layers505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N may include an AlO_(x) layer. Dielectriclayers 505-1,505-2, . . . 505-N may include an insulating metal oxidelayer, whose metal is selected to be a metal different from lanthanumand aluminum. Dielectric layers 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N may include aninsulating nitride layer. Dielectric layers 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-Nmay include an insulating oxynitride layer. Dielectric layers 505-1,505-2, . . . 505-N may include a silicon nitride layer. Dielectriclayers 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N may include an insulating silicatelayer. Dielectric layers 505-1, 505-2, . . . 505-N may include a siliconoxide layer.

Various embodiments for a dielectric layer containing a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers mayprovide for enhanced device performance by providing devices withreduced leakage current. Such improvements in leakage currentcharacteristics may be attained by forming one or more layers of alanthanum aluminum oxynitride in a nanolaminate structure with othermetal oxides, non-metal-containing dielectrics, or combinations thereof.The transition from one layer of the nanolaminate to another layer ofthe nanolaminate provides disruption to a tendency for an orderedstructure in the nanolaminate stack. The term “nanolaminate” means acomposite film of ultra thin layers of two or more materials in alayered stack. Typically, each layer in a nanolaminate has a thicknessof an order of magnitude in the nanometer range. Further, eachindividual material layer of the nanolaminate may have a thickness aslow as a monolayer of the material or as high as 20 nanometers. In anembodiment, a LaO_(x)/LaAlON nanolaminate contains alternating layers oflanthanum oxide and LaAlON. In an embodiment, an AlO_(y)/LaAlONnanolaminate contains alternating layers of aluminum oxide and LaAlON.In an embodiment, a LaO_(z)/AlO_(y)/LaAlON nanolaminate contains variouspermutations of lanthanum oxide layers, aluminum oxide layers, andlanthanum aluminum oxynitride layers.

In an embodiment, dielectric structure 500 may be structured as ananolaminate structure 500 including a lanthanum aluminum oxynitridefilm structured as one or more monolayers. Nanolaminate structure 500includes a plurality of layers 505-1, 505-2 to 505-N, where at least onelayer contains a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as one ormore monolayers. The other layers may be insulating nitrides, insulatingoxynitrides, and other dielectric materials such as insulating metaloxides. The sequencing of the layers depends on the application. Theeffective dielectric constant associated with nanolaminate structure 500is that attributable to N capacitors in series, where each capacitor hasa thickness defined by the thickness and composition of thecorresponding layer. By selecting each thickness and the composition ofeach layer, a nanolaminate structure can be engineered to have apredetermined dielectric constant. Embodiments for structures such asnanolaminate structure 500 may be used as nanolaminate dielectrics inNROM flash memory devices as well as other integrated circuits. In anembodiment, a layer of the nanolaminate structure 500 is used to storecharge in the NROM device. The charge storage layer of a nanolaminatestructure 500 in an NROM device may be a silicon oxide layer.

Transistors, capacitors, and other devices may include dielectric filmscontaining a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer structured as one ormore monolayers. The lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer may be formedby atomic layer deposition. Dielectric films containing a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride layer may be implemented into memory devices andelectronic systems including information handling devices. Further,embodiments of electronic devices may be realized as integratedcircuits. Embodiments of information handling devices may includewireless systems, telecommunication systems, and computers.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram for an electronic system 600 havingone or more devices having a dielectric structure including a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers.Electronic system 600 includes a controller 605, a bus 615, and anelectronic device 625, where bus 615 provides electrical conductivitybetween controller 605 and electronic device 625. In variousembodiments, controller 605 may include an embodiment of a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film. In various embodiments, electronic device 625may include an embodiment of a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. Invarious embodiments, controller 605 and electronic device 625 mayinclude embodiments of a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film. Electronicsystem 600 may include, but is not limited to, fiber optic systems,electro-optic systems, and information handling systems such as wirelesssystems, telecommunication systems, and computers.

FIG. 7 depicts a diagram of an embodiment of a system 700 having acontroller 705 and a memory 725. Controller 705 may include a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers. Memory725 may include a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as oneor more monolayers. Controller 705 and memory 725 may include alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers.System 700 also includes an electronic apparatus 735 and a bus 715,where bus 715 provides electrical conductivity between controller 705and electronic apparatus 735, and between controller 705 and memory 725.Bus 715 may include an address, a data bus, and a control bus, eachindependently configured. Alternatively, bus 715 may use commonconductive lines for providing one or more of address, data, or control,the use of which is regulated by controller 705. In an embodiment,electronic apparatus 735 may be additional memory configured in a mannersimilar to memory 725. An embodiment may include an additionalperipheral device or devices 745 coupled to bus 715. In an embodiment,controller 705 is a processor. One or more of controller 705, memory725, bus 715, electronic apparatus 735, or peripheral devices 745 mayinclude an embodiment of a dielectric layer having a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers System 700 mayinclude, but is not limited to, information handling devices,telecommunication systems, and computers.

Peripheral devices 745 may include displays, additional storage memory,or other control devices that may operate in conjunction with controller705. Alternatively, peripheral devices 745 may include displays,additional storage memory, or other control devices that may operate inconjunction with memory 725 or controller 705 and memory 725.

Memory 725 may be realized as a memory device containing a lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film structured as one or more monolayers. Thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride structure may be formed in a memory cellof a memory array. The lanthanum aluminum oxynitride structure may beformed in a capacitor in a memory cell of a memory array. The lanthanumaluminum oxynitride structure may be formed in a transistor in a memorycell of a memory array. It will be understood that embodiments areequally applicable to any size and type of memory circuit and are notintended to be limited to a particular type of memory device. Memorytypes include a DRAM, SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) or Flashmemories. Additionally, the DRAM could be a synchronous DRAM commonlyreferred to as SGRAM (Synchronous Graphics Random Access Memory), SDRAM(Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory), SDRAM II, and DDR SDRAM(Double Data Rate SDRAM), as well as other emerging DRAM technologies.

An embodiment for a method includes forming a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film by atomic layer deposition. Embodiments includestructures for capacitors, transistors, memory devices, and electronicsystems with a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film structured as one ormore monolayers, and methods for forming such structures.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose maybe substituted for the specific embodiments shown. It is to beunderstood that the above description is intended to be illustrative,and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will beapparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the abovedescription.

1. A method comprising: forming a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film inan integrated circuit on a substrate including forming the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition, the atomic layerdeposition having one or more cycles, each cycle including: performingone or more lanthanum/oxygen sequences; performing one or morealuminum/oxygen sequences; and performing one or more nitrogen/oxygensequences using a nitrogen precursor and an oxygen reactant precursor tothe nitrogen precursor in the nitrogen/oxygen sequences.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film byatomic layer deposition includes forming the lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film as multiple layers of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride,each layer formed by atomic layer deposition, in which at least onelayer has a nitrogen content different from the other layers of thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film includes formingLaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where 0.2<y<0.6.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition includes using a La(thd)₃ precursor in the atomic layerdeposition.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition includes using atrisethylcyclopentadionatolanthanum precursor in the atomic layerdeposition.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition includes using atrisdipyvaloylmethanatolanthanum precursor in the atomic layerdeposition.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition includes using tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)lanthanum (III) tetraglymeadduct as a precursor in the atomic layer deposition.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film byatomic layer deposition includes using an adduct of alane anddimethylethylamine as a precursor in the atomic layer deposition.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitridefilm by atomic layer deposition includes using a trimethylaluminumprecursor in the atomic layer deposition.
 10. The method of claim 1,wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition includes forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film usingplasma-assisted atomic layer deposition.
 11. The method of claim 1,wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition includes using a nitrogen-containing precursor in the atomiclayer deposition.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein forming thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition includesusing an ammonia precursor in the atomic layer deposition.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the method includes forming a transistorhaving a gate dielectric containing the lanthanum aluminum oxynitridefilm.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes forming acapacitor having a capacitor dielectric containing the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the methodincludes forming a memory device containing the lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includesforming a conductive path to a conductive layer on and contacting thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film to provide a signal to the conductivelayer to operate in an electronic system.
 17. A method comprising:forming a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film in an integrated circuit ona substrate including forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film byatomic layer deposition using a tert-butylamine precursor in the atomiclayer deposition.
 18. A method comprising: forming a lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film in an integrated circuit on a substrate includingforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition using an allylamine precursor in the atomic layer deposition.19. A method comprising: forming a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film inan integrated circuit on a substrate including forming the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition using a1,1-dimethylhydrazine precursor in the atomic layer deposition.
 20. Amethod comprising: forming a first electrode on a substrate; forming adielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film,including forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition, the atomic layer deposition having one or more cycles, eachcycle including: performing one or more lanthanum/oxygen sequences;performing one or more aluminum/oxygen sequences; and performing one ormore nitrogen/oxygen sequences using a nitrogen precursor and an oxygenreactant precursor to the nitrogen precursor in the nitrogen/oxygensequences, the dielectric layer disposed on and contacting the firstelectrode; and forming a second electrode on and contacting thedielectric layer.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein forming thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition includesusing a La(thd)₃ precursor, a DMEAA precursor, and nitrogen in theatomic layer deposition.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the methodincludes forming the first electrode, the dielectric layer, and thesecond electrode as a capacitor in a dynamic random access memory. 23.The method of claim 20, wherein the method includes forming the firstelectrode, the dielectric layer, and the second electrode as a capacitorin an analog integrated circuit.
 24. The method of claim 20, wherein themethod includes forming the first electrode, the dielectric layer, andthe second electrode as a capacitor in a radio frequency integratedcircuit.
 25. The method of claim 20, wherein the method includes formingthe first electrode, the dielectric layer, and the second electrode as acapacitor in a mixed signal integrated circuit.
 26. The method of claim20, wherein forming a dielectric layer includes forming the dielectriclayer having multiple layers of dielectrics within which the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film is disposed.
 27. The method of claim 20,wherein forming the dielectric layer having multiple layers ofdielectrics includes forming a nanolaminate.
 28. The method of claim 20,wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition includes forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film asmultiple layers of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride, each layer formed byatomic layer deposition, in which at least one layer of the multiplelayers has a nitrogen content different from the other layers of thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.
 29. The method of claim 20, whereinforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film includes formingLaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where 0.2<y<0.6.
 30. A method comprising; forminga source and a drain of a transistor, the source and the drain separatedby a channel; forming a dielectric layer above the channel, thedielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film,including forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition, the atomic layer deposition having one or more cycles, eachcycle including: performing one or more lanthanum/oxygen sequences;performing one or more aluminum/oxygen sequences; and performing one ormore nitrogen/oxygen sequences using a nitrogen precursor and an oxygenreactant precursor to the nitrogen precursor in the nitrogen/oxygensequences; and forming a gate above the dielectric layer.
 31. The methodof claim 30, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film byatomic layer deposition includes using a La(thd)₃ precursor, atrimethylaluminum precursor, and nitrogen in the atomic layerdeposition.
 32. The method of claim 30, wherein the method includesforming the dielectric layer as a gate insulator in a transistor of aCMOS device.
 33. The method of claim 30, wherein forming a dielectriclayer includes forming the dielectric layer as a gate dielectriccontacting the channel.
 34. The method of claim 30, wherein forming adielectric layer includes forming the dielectric layer as a tunnel gateinsulator contacting the channel.
 35. The method of claim 30, whereinforming a dielectric layer includes forming the dielectric layer on andcontacting a floating gate.
 36. The method of claim 30, wherein themethod includes forming the dielectric layer as a tunnel insulatorcontacting the channel and forming a floating gate dielectric on andcontacting a floating gate, the floating gate dielectric containing alanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.
 37. The method of claim 30, whereinforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition includes forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film asmultiple layers of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride, each layer formed byatomic layer deposition, in which at least one layer of the multiplelayers has a nitrogen content different from the other layers of thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.
 38. The method of claim 30, whereinforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film includes formingLaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where 0.2<y<0.6.
 39. A method comprising: formingan array of memory cells in a substrate, a memory cell having adielectric layer containing a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film,including forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition, the atomic layer deposition having one or more cycles, eachcycle including: performing one or more lanthanum/oxygen sequences;performing one or more aluminum/oxygen sequences; and performing one ormore nitrogen/oxygen sequences using a nitrogen precursor and an oxygenreactant precursor to the nitrogen precursor in the nitrogen/oxygensequences.
 40. The method of claim 39, wherein forming the lanthanumaluminum oxynitride film by atomic layer deposition includes using aLa(thd)₃ precursor, a trimethylaluminum precursor, and anitrogen-containing precursor in the atomic layer deposition.
 41. Themethod of claim 39, wherein the method includes forming the dielectriclayer as a gate insulator of a transistor in a memory device.
 42. Themethod of claim 39, wherein the method includes forming the dielectriclayer as a tunnel gate insulator in a flash memory.
 43. The method ofclaim 39, wherein the method includes forming the dielectric layer as aninter-gate insulator in a flash memory.
 44. The method of claim 39,wherein the method includes forming the dielectric layer as a dielectricof a capacitor in a memory cell.
 45. The method of claim 39, wherein themethod includes forming a dynamic random access memory.
 46. The methodof claim 39, wherein the method includes forming the dielectric layer asa nanolaminate dielectric.
 47. The method of claim 39, wherein themethod includes forming the dielectric layer as a nanolaminatedielectric in a NROM flash memory.
 48. The method of claim 39, whereinforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film by atomic layerdeposition includes forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film asmultiple layers of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride, each layer formed byatomic layer deposition, in which at least one layer of the multiplelayers has a nitrogen content different from the other layers of thelanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.
 49. The method of claim 39, whereinforming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film includes formingLaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where 0.2<y<0.6.
 50. A method comprising:providing a controller; and coupling an integrated circuit to thecontroller, wherein the integrated circuit includes a dielectric layercontaining a lanthanum aluminum oxynitride layer, the lanthanum aluminumoxynitride layer formed by atomic layer deposition, the atomic layerdeposition having one or more cycles, each cycle including: performingone or more lanthanum/oxygen sequences; performing one or morealuminum/oxygen sequences; and performing one or more nitrogen/oxygensequences using a nitrogen precursor and an oxygen reactant precursor tothe nitrogen precursor in the nitrogen/oxygen sequences.
 51. The methodof claim 50, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film byatomic layer deposition includes using a La(thd)₃ precursor, an Al(CH₃)₃precursor, and nitrogen in the atomic layer deposition.
 52. The methodof claim 50, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film byatomic layer deposition includes forming the lanthanum aluminumoxynitride film as multiple layers of lanthanum aluminum oxynitride,each layer formed by atomic layer deposition, in which at least onelayer of the multiple layers has a nitrogen content different from theother layers of the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride film.
 53. The methodof claim 50, wherein forming the lanthanum aluminum oxynitride filmincludes forming LaAlO_(3(1-y/2))N_(y), where 0.2<y<0.6.
 54. The methodof claim 50, wherein coupling an integrated circuit to the controllerincludes coupling a memory device formed as the integrated circuit. 55.The method of claim 50, wherein providing a controller includesproviding a processor.
 56. The method of claim 50, wherein coupling anintegrated circuit to the controller includes coupling a mixed signalintegrated circuit formed as the integrated circuit.
 57. The method ofclaim 50, wherein the method includes forming an information handlingsystem.
 58. The method of claim 57, wherein forming an informationhandling system includes forming a wireless system.